PRESS RELEASE
August 19, 2026
Collaboration Delivers Critical Water to Klamath Basin Wildlife Refuges
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — A major coordinated effort is delivering critically needed water to the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges at a pivotal time for migratory waterfowl, demonstrating what can be accomplished when agriculture, Tribes, conservation organizations and government agencies work together.
For the Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA), the immediate priority is clear: get water to the refuges now, when it can make a significant difference.
“This is the kind of adaptive, collaborative water management we have been advocating for,” said Scott Seus, KWUA Board President, who farms near Tulelake, California. “When conditions change and an opportunity emerges to put water to work for the broader Basin, we need to be able to act. That is what is happening now.”
Water management in the Klamath Basin is complicated and opportunities like this are never easy. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) administers the federal water supply for the Klamath Project in accordance with applicable laws and requirements, working to make water available where and when those requirements allow. As conditions and water needs have changed throughout the irrigation season, an opportunity emerged to get water to the refuges at a critical time.
Getting to this point required difficult conversations and months of engagement among Basin partners, beginning this spring. Project irrigators entered 2026 facing significant water shortages, with approximately 50,000 acres idled in response to reduced supplies. As the season progressed and crop demands changed, partners continued evaluating conditions and looking for opportunities to manage limited water supplies for broader Basin benefits.
These refuge deliveries demonstrate the value of adaptive management – responding to changing conditions and ecosystem needs while continuing to meet legal requirements for Endangered Species Act-listed species. Adaptive management has long been discussed in the Klamath Basin, but opportunities to put it into practice are not always easy to achieve.
“This effort shows what is possible when difficult conversations occur and partners remain engaged in finding solutions,” said Mr. Seus.
These deliveries are the result of close coordination among the Bureau of Reclamation, federal fisheries services, KWUA and its member districts, Tribal governments, Ducks Unlimited, California Waterfowl Association, local counties and other Basin partners.
“KWUA appreciates Reclamation and the Trump Administration for bringing people together and working with Basin partners to put adaptive management into practice,” said Elizabeth Nielsen, the association’s executive director. “This would not have been possible without that engagement and the willingness of everyone involved to work through difficult issues for the broader Basin.”
The effort also represents an important precursor to the proposed Tule Lake Flow-Through Pilot, which KWUA and partners have been developing.
Rather than allowing the immediate need to become secondary to implementing a pilot, partners are focused first on getting available water onto the refuges when it can provide the greatest benefit. At the same time, work on Flow-Through continues, with the hope of implementing elements of the concept later this year if conditions allow and pursuing broader implementation in the future.
Flow-Through is envisioned not simply as an emergency response, but as a long-term water management strategy. The concept would use existing Klamath Project infrastructure to move water through agricultural lands and refuge wetlands before returning it to the Klamath River, potentially allowing the same water to provide multiple benefits as it moves through the Basin.
“What we’re doing today is an important step toward building the foundation of Flow-Through,” said Mrs. Nielsen. “The concept has gained tremendous momentum, and we are committed to moving it forward. Right now, the priority is getting water to the refuges. Longer term, we want to build on what we are learning and demonstrate how coordinated water management can benefit wildlife, agriculture, water quality and fisheries.”
The current effort shows why that vision matters.
No single organization could have accomplished these refuge deliveries alone. This effort required flexibility, cooperation among irrigation districts, engagement by Tribes and conservation organizations, support from local counties, and federal leadership willing to respond as conditions changed.
“We each bring different responsibilities to this watershed,” said Mrs. Nielsen. “But we share a common purpose: a healthy, resilient Klamath Basin for generations to come.”
For a Basin too often defined by conflict over limited water supplies, the willingness to engage and adapt may ultimately prove as important as the water itself.
“This is about more than saving ducks,” said Mr. Seus. “It’s about showing what is possible when people stay at the table, work through difficult issues and respond to changing conditions. We have an opportunity to build on this success and create a more adaptive, collaborative approach to managing water throughout the Klamath Basin.”
